What Casts Out Fear?

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.19 We love because he first loved us.

Love for one another comes from God because He first loved us through sending His son, Jesus to be propitiation for our sins. Propitiation is a big word that essentially means that Jesus revealed us of having to pay for our sins by appeasing God’s wrath and that by believing in Jesus we have been reconciled to God. As we begin to fathom the love God has for us and abide in that love and He in us, we begin to be changed from the inside out and fear no longer has a hold on us for fear has to do with punishment and as believers no longer have to fear God’s punishment. He will perfect His love in us as we love one another. One of my favorite hymns is ‘O The Deep Deep Love of Jesus,’ S. Trevor Francis, 1875. I particularly like the second verse.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

So the next time you are feeling down and in need of uplifting, stop and think about how deep His love is for you. His love never changes and He died to make you His own. He also intercedes for you to the Father.What greater love is that?

My prayer: Dear Father in heaven, always bring to mind the depth of Your love for me and by it may I in turn love others. May others be encouraged by Your love and be changed forevermore. Amen.